


Through The Wall

by BethJ_Archer



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-10-25 00:59:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17715035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BethJ_Archer/pseuds/BethJ_Archer
Summary: Sansa hears something strange coming through the wall she shares withJon Snow.She decided to put an end to her disturbed night's sleep and confront him.This is all G rated I swear.





	1. Chapter 1

‘Why can’t he use headphones?’ Sansa moaned internally

She could hear the winning through the wall, it was high pitched and just plain wrong. Not pleasurable at all. She knew that sixteen-year-olds where all perves but these noises sounded just absolutely wrong. 

‘Must be some anime stuff.’ She concluded. ‘He seems the type.’ He was a loner-ish sort who's black hair that was so long that you often couldn’t make eye contact with him. But still, he refused to get a haircut.

He also seemed to be far more interested in his training than making friends and socialising. Sansa had asked him about this once and he had replied, no joke:

“I’m going to join the ranges. And when I do I won’t be able to have friends here.” And then stalked away like he was Batman or some shit.

‘Well, both his parents are dead.’ Sansa thought spitefully only to scold herself a moment later. She was just pissed about the damn anime porn noises keeping her awake tonight and every night for the last week!

And what was worse she sometimes could hear him whispering, ‘Good girl.’ and ‘You are so naughty.’ and even worse ‘Yeah, lick it up.’ Which was just a whole new level of weird. Normally she would put on some white noise and try to ignore it. But she was getting sick of it raining every single night in her dreams.

Something had to be done.

She slipped out of bed and threw her hello kitty bathrobe on, knowing that she couldn’t look intimidating in it, but she was going to damn well try and marched herself up to Jon Snow's door.

She knocked loudly as to disturb him. And she instantly gets her satisfaction.

“Oh, shit.” Jon mumbles and noises of panic and things being put away sound up. The thought of Jon using toys flashes into Sansa’s mind and she honestly didn’t know if she was going to ever be able to get that mental image out.

The door finally creaked open and there was Jon, a crack in his fringe allowed Sansa to make eye contact with one of his eyes. She gave it the worst looks she could.

“You’re keeping me awake.” She said as low and as threatening as possible.

“I’m sorry,” Jon said, actually looking scared. But she wasn’t going to let him off that easy. She was going to embarrass him, threaten to tell the whole school and her parents. She was not going to leave him room to get away with this anymore.

“I know what you're doing.” His eye went wide. “And if you don’t shut up I will tell my mum and dad.” His eye went even wider. His mouth started to open as if to start apologizing and begging her not to. But She was on a roll. “And on top of that I will-” Something behind Jon’s head caught her eye, a cardboard box, sticking out of his bed, the lid had popped open and out of it stuck a puppy’s head. Its face was white with a crown of grey. It looked at her, ears perked and it’s tongue hanging out like it was happy to see her.

“You have a puppy!” was all she could manage to say, as she pushed past Jon into his room. She pulled the box intending to pick up and coo over the puppy she had seen. But when she took off the lid she found four other puppies.

“Oh my gosh!” She said unable to contain herself. The puppy who had stuck its head out was still standing on its hind legs, now whimpering softly to get out of the box. She scooped it up in one hand and reached into the box to pet the others.

After a moment of pure awe, she turned to look up at Jon. He had closed the door and taken a step towards her and was scratching the back of his neck, looking very unsure what to do with himself.

“Why do you have puppies under your bed?” Was all she could think to ask, her mind was racing.

“I found them…” He said, taking a seat at the end of his bed. “Under a bridge in the forest.”

“Do my mum and dad know?” She asked.

“No!” he gasped. “The, errr… I don’t think they would let me keep them.” He explained.

“No, they probably wouldn’t.” She couldn’t keep her mind straight, the puppy in her hand started licking her and her heart was melting.

“Have you named them?” She asked unable to take her eyes off the puppies in the box who were all fighting for the attention of her hand.

“No, I don’t wanna get attached, in case…” he let his sentence fall. “So… Why did you come storming over to my room?”

The thoughts she had had about what Jon had been up to came flooding back to her. The winning and his voice it all made sense now. The puppies were letting out little whimpers and who couldn’t help cooing over them?

Sansa couldn’t help feel embarrassed at what she had thought he was doing. There was no way she was going to admit any of it to him.

“Nothing, never mind!” She said avoiding his eyes. Which really wasn’t hard when puppies were involved.

“Okay…” Thankfully Jon seemed as awkward here as Sansa felt and wouldn’t press her for answers.

A soft whimper came from somewhere else in the room and Jon sprang to action. Sansa watched as he opened his wardrobe and pulled out a shoe box. He opened it and cooed and then took his place back on the bed.

“What’s that?” Sansa could only fathom what else Jon could be hiding in a shoebox in his room.

‘There could be a whole zoo here and I might never have known.’ She mused. Jon and her weren’t close. Despite being the same age and in some of the same classes the two never clicked. This was probably the biggest one-on-one interaction they had ever had.

“Ummm… One of the puppies wasn’t so healthy when I found them. He wasn’t even gathered with the rest of the puppies.” He explained not looking at her, only into the box. “Runt of the litter.” Something softened in Jon's voice in the last part.

Sansa stood up and took a seat on the bed next to Jon, one puppy still in hand. She looked into the box in his lap and saw a snow white puppy with glowing red eyes. He was smaller than the other puppies and wrapped up in a burrito blanket made from a dish rag.

“He got a chill so I’m trying to keep him warm,” Jon explained.

“He’s so cute.” Sansa sighed. And just as Sansa said that the puppy sneezed.

“Yeah, he’s still a little sick,” Jon said still not looking at her. “I have to feed him with a milk bottle.” He said in picking up a milk bottle that was hidden under his bed.

“Jon…” His eyes flashed up to her.

“Please don’t tell your parents.” He begged, giving her the full power of his one visible eye. “I’ll tell them soon. I will.”

“I won’t tell them, I promise.” No, she had something else in mind. “I’m going to help you.”

Jon’s eye went wide. No doubt he didn’t think Sansa would have said such a thing. But when it came to puppies Sansa’s heart knew no bounds.

“For starters, that’s a terrible fabric for keeping a puppy warm.” She said making him crack a big grin that reached up to his one eye.


	2. Chapter 2

After months of pinning after her Sansa Stark had been in his room talking to him for hours.

Sure it was because of the puppies but it was still amazing. Jon would never have thought such a thing was possible before.

She, of course, was the golden daughter of the Stark family. Cheerleader, (almost) straight A student, and all around beautiful person.

Jon, everyone knew, was the socially awkward type, he would be the black sheep of the family if he had a family to be a part of. But his parents were both dead.

The Starks had taken him in. They had been family friends with some distant relation or connection through the family. He didn’t know the ins and outs. Nobody seemed to know, what was known was that it was mostly Ned Stark's doing, Catelyn Stark didn’t like him very much. Not many people did.

Sansa Stark, he assumed was one of those people. She was close to her mother, spitting image but more beautiful everyone thought so, Caitlyn laughed about it. 

Her brother Robb had the same looks and loved his mother dearly, but he and Jon were close. Something that confused Jon a lot.

Arya, the younger stark sister, and him got along like a house on fire. Jon put this down to her never quite feeling like she fit into her family. She even once asked Jon if she was adopted in like he was. He assured her that he was sure she wasn’t. Sometimes he wished to hear someone assure him that he wasn't.

He wasn’t even ‘adopted’. He was just fostered in their house. Not a family member but not a guest. It was in the grey areas that Jon lived his life.

Not Sansa. She lived in the gold.

Jon had paid her as much time she paid him at first. It never really bothered him. She was never mean, you would have to interact to be mean.

But over the last few months, he had found his eyes floating her way. His mind lingering on her. His body reacting to her presence.

But he was mad to think that she ever would think twice on him. She was dating Joffrey, he was considered to be the coolest guy in school. Jon wanted to ask who voted for that because he surely didn’t.

But, even if Jon hated the guy for purely reasonable reasons, what did it say about Sansa that she liked him, that type of guy? He was nothing like him, that was a source of pride.

But last night had been like an oasis. Just them alone in his room with a box full of puppies. She had talked to him, looking him in the eye so directly it made his throat dry.

When he had heard the bag on his bedroom door during the middle of the night he thought it might be Ned telling him to turn his light off and go to sleep.

Maybe Bran or Rickon hoping to curl into bed with him because of a bad dream. Maybe even Arya after scaring herself watching a horror movie and now was too scared to sleep alone, too prideful to go to any of her family, but she hadn't needed to for a year or two.

But never in his wildest dreams did he think that Sansa would be there, pink bathrobes, rabbit slippers, hand on hip.

He had no idea what she could want with him. Then she said she knew what he was doing and she was going to tell her parents. Jon’s stomach dropped.

‘How did she find out?’ Was all he could think.

But when she saw the puppy her whole demeanour changed.

He wondered what she thought he was doing. Did she even have a guess, or was it a blind threat?

It had all worked out. She had even agreed to help him with them, so he had more nights like that ahead of him.

He was excited to get home from school now because of the puppies, but even more so because he might get to spend some of his night with Sansa.

That’s what kept him going through the school day, especially his boring history class the last class of the day.

It was only when he got to the parking lot of the school that he breathed a little easier. Every day all he did was worry about the puppies. Especially the small white puppy.

‘Sansa said she would find him a better blanket.’ The thought made him smile. He couldn’t let his hopes get too high.

“Jon,” A voice interrupted his daydream. Well not interrupted more came out of his head into reality. It was Sansa.

She was there in front of him, broad daylight in front of everyone. “I have that fabric.” She said handing him some cloth. Jon took a moment too long to reach out and take it. He was so blinded by her, much like coming out of a dark classroom into the summer sun.

“Thanks…” He managed to stutter out. Looking down he saw the material was a soft colourful fabric.

“Isn’t it cute?” She said with a smug smile. Jon stretched out some of the fabric. It was covered in little cartoon ghosts, Halloween design. Jon let out a little chuckle.

“Glad you like it.” She smiled. Her sunnies where blocking her eyes. He, however, had to squint at her. “I made some other things for the others in fabric tec, but I wanna be there to see the puppies with them for the first time. So you will just have to wait. But I didn’t want you to wait for that.” She said indicating to the fabric in his hand.

“You not going straight home?” Jon asked. His heart sinking a little.

“Nah, Joff and I are going to go hang out.” She looked around the parking lot like she had something better to do.

‘She probably does, she only interested in the puppies.’ Jon reminded himself.

She waved to someone a little way off. Jon followed her gaze. It was Joffrey. He wasn’t waving back, he was indicating for Sansa to come to him. He seemed pretty insistent.

“Well, I better be off.” Sansa sighed. “Make sure you swaddle that puppies when you get home.”

“Swaddle?” Jon raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah, swaddle.” She said again with confidence. “That’s what it’s called.”

“Yeah, right.” Jon rolled his eyes. He didn’t know why but he suddenly felt so comfortable with Sansa. Enough to give her a good-natured ribbing.

“Seriously, look it up.” She said, her confidence unwavering. “There’s a video of sloths getting swaddled and it’s adorable.”

“What is it, sweet thing?” a whiny high pitched voice with unnecessary vulgarity interrupted them. “Is this guy bothering you?” Joffrey said puffing on his vape and glaring at Jon. “Are you bothering my lady?” He asked Jon pointedly.

“No, we’re chatting,” Sansa said casually.

Joffrey didn’t answer but exhaled his puff. Jon didn’t miss that it blew straight into his face.

Jon couldn't do anything about it. Joffrey's friend, Gregor was standing just behind him. And that guy was huge. Jon just clenched his jaw and cast his eyes down.

“Come hang with me,” Joffrey said to Sansa.

“I’ll see you later tonight, kay, Jon?” Sansa said, already talking Joffrey’s arm and turning away.

“Yeah, see you,” Jon said trying not to sound moopey.

“I hate to see you upset.” He heads Joffrey comment to Sansa as they walked away.

Jon didn’t hear her answer. He didn’t really want to.


	3. Chapter 3

The little puppy biting her finger awoken her from her daydream.

The little thing was trying to naw the whole thing off! She was only trying to pet it, but the scrappy little thing saw it as play time.

She sighed and straightened up, her back was sore from leaning against Jon's bedside table. She must have spaced out for a long time. It was probably for the best that she snapped out of it. Her daydream wasn't exactly a nice one.

"You okay?" Jon asked her, his brow quizzical.

"Yeah, I'm fine." It was a bullshit answer but what else could she give him. You could talk boys with other boys, even if they weren't potential suitors, it was just bad company.

"Didn't you say you had something for the puppies?" Jon asked, trying to change the subject. He almost definitely knew what was wrong. He had seen Joffrey at school. He hadn't escaped his wrath.

"Oh, yeah!" Sansa exclaimed snapping fully out of her daydream. She had spent the whole hour of fabric tec working on them. She hoped she had made them all correctly. She reached for her bag and pulled out her work, showing it eagerly to Jon.

"What are-?" Jon picked one up.

"Their ribbons! For around their necks." Sansa explained, taking a seat on the bed next to Jon. "Purple for girls and green for boys."

"Isn't it pink and blue?" Jon asked still looking at the makeshift collar.

"My favourite colour is blue so that wouldn't work," Sansa explained, placing the box on her lap and taking a purple out of the box. The little puppy in her hand was the one she had spotted first who was so patient and docile, didn't even fight her as she slid it over her head.

"But it's so big?" Jon questioned her.

"See these knots? If you pull them it tightens. That way they can wear them longer." She explained. She had thought ahead.

Jon smiled and picked up a puppy and began helping her put them all on. The only two who were a problem where the scrappy one and the other girl who was a bit of a wild one.

But eventually, they managed to get all the puppies in their bows.

"Let's line them up for a picture." Sansa suggested, and boy was that another struggle.

Jon was set to puppy wrangling duty. Most of the puppy's just wanted to play, one of the boys was semi-decent at posing for a picture but would join in when Jon let his duty's slide.

The docile girl and the pure white one seemed to be the only two who could be trusted. They curled into each other's side and looked oh so cute together, Sansa ended up getting a lot of photos of just the two of them while Jon wrangled the others. 

At multiple points, Sansa wanted to give up, but then they finally got it. Only a second before the wild female managed to escape the collar. At this point, both Jon and Sansa weren't keen to try for another shot.

"Maybe when their older and we have taught them how to sit," Sansa suggested leaning backwards onto Jon's bed frame.

"With, like, treats to keep them in line." Jon huffed out of breath from wrangling the puppies.

'Treats.' Sansa thought. 'We need to get them treats.' Jon had brought them a big bag of kibble, but they needed something to give them as a reward. Sansa noted that on her to-do list.

"I should probably head to bed." She sighed sitting up. It was well past their bedtimes. Not that her parents enforced that anymore. But still, it was a school night. "Thanks for letting me play with the puppies." She said as she reached the door.

"Any time," Jon said smiling at her. This was probably the most she had seen him smile in the whole time she had known him.

Not that she blamed him, who couldn't smile around puppies? It was mandatory to be happy, and the perfect thing to cheer you up after a bad date.

\---

“There is my lady.” The slimy voice inched its way into Sansa’s world. His hand sliding down her back making her shiver. “How are you today?”

“Very well,” Sansa replied as Joffrey slid into his seat next to her. It was Geo, the only class they shared. The teacher had yet to make it into the room, students were still trickling in.

The truth was she wasn’t doing well, not well at all. She had been up all night and this time not because of the puppies. She wished she could have had even one to play with in hopes of distracting her.

She knew Joffrey didn’t really care about what she was feeling. It was all just formality. Formality and a ploy to get her to ask him. Like some caged bird that was commanded to speak. So she did.

Joffrey took it and ran, telling her about a teacher who had given him a bad mark on some homework, another student he had tormented, how dry and pointless he found school.

Sansa spent the time trying to remember what she had seen in Joffrey. He had once been all she wanted. A single look from him could change her whole day from bad to good. And when he went out of his way to talk to her, well she swooned like the Maiden rescued by a Prince.

But Joffrey was no true Prince. His gaze made her feel icky, his words turned her mood dark and his touch left her cold.

She knew she could never see him the way she had and worse that he wasn’t going to change, not for her. There was only one way out.

But she was scared. Their families had been friends. Well, their fathers. And she would still have to see him, at school. She knew Joffrey wouldn’t stay silent about the whole thing. He wasn't the type to have his pride hurt and not lash out. She would have to hold her head up high and let him get the venom out.

But to get to all that she was going to have to actually do the deed. It was going to be the first time she had ever broken up with someone. The first time she was ever involved in a breakup. How did one go about it? When did you bring it up?

She didn’t know, she didn’t even know who to ask. Her big brother Robb and his girlfriend, Walda, had been together forever and didn’t show any sign of breaking up. None of her other siblings were old enough to like anyone let alone break up. Well except Arya, but she probably wouldn't even notice other boys for many more years.

She normally would ask her mother about this kind of thing. But she knew what her mother would say, she had been against Joffrey and Sansa getting together. She didn’t like his mother, Sansa at the time couldn't understand why.

Now she saw. The women had no heart, maybe an extra liver where it should be. Sansa never saw her without a drink in hand. Maybe that was why Joffrey was the way he was. Either way, her mother was going to give her the tough love speech.

Sansa had no one to turn to.

The whole thing was just making her blue. She knew waiting wasn’t going to make it better. But right now she didn’t want to face it. She wanted to go home, curl up on the floor with the puppies and chill out.

Maybe she and Jon could start trying to train the puppies with treats Sansa was going to try make thanks to a Pinterest recipe she found.

Suddenly she had a thought. Jon has an ex. An ex he had broken up with who didn’t handle it well. She could ask him.

She couldn’t believe she hadn’t thought of it before. She hadn't really paid much mind to it at the time, which is probably why it hadn't sprung to mind, but it turned into a very public break up.

She turned to look at Joffrey, who was still going on. She appraised him with new, hopeful eyes.

“What?” He seemed to notice the new look in her gaze. “What is it? Do I have something on my face?”

“No, nothing.” She smiled lightly, a formality.

“Hm…” He mumbled unconvinced. “Well, it will be over Queen’s birthday weekend.” He continued. Sansa’s mind raced to fill in the blanks. She hadn't heard what he was talking about. “It will only be us and some others I deem worthy, as much as my mother loves her family home it lacks in bedrooms. Still having few spots available will make it more fun watching people scramble to get an invitation.”

His mother's house, bedrooms, invitations... Sansa’s mind was racing trying to make a logical story out of this.

‘He must be having a weekend blow out.’ Sansa concluded. ‘You wouldn’t go all the way out to the coast for less than a day.’

“I’m sure whoever you invite will be very happy,” Sansa said, diplomatically. “And I’m sure it will be a lot of fun.”

“You know what will be fun.” He said, leaning in with a mischievous look on his face. Sansa could only shake her head. “We will finally get time alone to…” He let his smile tell her the rest.

Sansa went stone cold. She had been putting him off, saying she wasn’t comfortable doing it at either of their houses as their parents might catch them. No such excuse would fly now.

Before she could reply the teacher walked in apologizing for being tardy.

Sansa now had a deadline for breaking up with Joffrey. Queen’s birthday was the weekend after next.


	4. Chapter 4

She woke with determination. Jon's words last night hadn't soothed her never but had convinced her that delay wasn't going to do her any favours. Today was the day.

 

She dressed in a daze and made her way downstairs quickly putting her far ahead of schedule meaning she had to sit and wait for everyone else in the house to get ready.

 

Robb was sitting in the kitchen waiting. On his phone. Sansa joined him Notting the surprise in his face when she sat down. She was normally the last one ready.

 

She chatted with him, trying to distract herself from the looming day ahead.

 

“Walda's fine,” Robb said in a tone that perked Sansa interest.

 

“Doesn't sound fine,” Sansa asked just as Arya flew down the stairs into the kitchen.

 

Robb hesitated.

 

“Arya! You left your bag!” Caitlyn's voice cried down the stairs.

 

“Can’t you just bring it down?” Arya yelled up the stairs. Their morning ritual.

 

“What am I your slave?” An exasperated sigh left Arya's throat and she started her slow, laborious, accent.

 

“Are you and Walda happy?” Sansa pressed Robb when the theatrics were over.

 

Rob eyes hovered on her, she could see the walls behind his eyes falling, he took a deep breath and opened his mouth to speak.

 

“It's Wednesday? Or Thursday?” Jon's sleepy voice broke the moment. He wandered half asleep into the kitchen and straight to the fridge.

 

“Thursday,” Robb spoke resigned. Sansa saw it on his face, he wasn't going to be letting his walls down again.

 

Jon grunted in response. And the three resigned themselves to silence as they awaited the rest of the family to appear.

 

Arya joined them a moment later, she took over Jon's butter knife to butter her toast to which he didn't complain. Rickon and Bran joined soon after.

 

“Sansa! Sansa!” Caitlyn's voiced called upstairs. “You're going to be late if you don't get downstairs now!”

 

“I’m here,” Sansa called out.

 

“Sansa! Come on we can't be late!” Caitlyn kept calling.

 

Sansa got up and walked over to the stairs.

 

“Mum! I’m down here!” Sansa called up the stairs.

 

“Oh.” Caitlyn's head popped over the bannister. “What are you doing down there?”

 

“Having breakfast.” Sansa shook her head in amusement.

 

“Alright,” Caitlyn started down the stairs. “Time to go I guess.”

 

Sansa gulped. Arriving at school would make this all real. He would be there, Joffrey. They had class together today. Last subject of the day.

 

“Are you alright?” Caitlyn asked when she reached the bottom of the stairs. “You look pale.” Caitlyn's hand was on her face feeling for a temperature. “You're all clammy.”

 

“Thanks, mum. I’m fine.” Sansa said ducking out of her mother's reach.

 

“Not feeling sick?” Caitlyn asked. “You can stay home if you are.” Sansa froze. Caitlyn never offered to let her stay home from school.

 

“No, I’m fine.” Sansa would have loved this opportunity a week ago. But today she had a mission. Delay would only make it worse.

 

“Alright well, all in the car,” Caitlyn announced. And everyone started out the door. Caitlyn's gave Sansa one last worried look. Before they left the house and piled in the car.

 

Sansa got squashed into the middle seat as usual. Robb sat shotgun, Ricon winged if he didn't get a window and Arya and brand liked it in the back row of the three rows. That left Sansa and Jon to sit next to each other.

 

“Are you going to do it today?” He whispered when they took off.

 

Sansa nodded. Her throat dry.

 

“When?”

 

“We have last period together,” she explained, her heart racing. “We normally go to the mall after. I’ll find the time.”

 

“Try to do it before you go to the mall. It will make you feel better since you haven't wasted his time.” He spoke through gritted teeth, they both knew the courtesy of not wasting his time, would be lost on Joffrey.

 

“I’ll try.” Sansa smiled lightly. By the time she got home, she would be free of him. That was a freeing thought.

 

\---

 

“Come on babe,” Joffrey spoke with a smug tone that frustrated Sansa much more than it should have. “I wanna go check out the sale on games.” Joffrey was obsessed with gory video games and the ones where you would shoot people. He made Sansa watch him sometimes. He ended most gaming sessions rage quitting.

 

Joffrey gave a muffled laugh. “Mr Pycelle been a dick and holding up Sandor,” Joff announced as they made their way out of class.

 

‘Perfect!’ Relief washed over her. She could save herself an afternoon of trailing after Joffrey around the mall by breaking up with him before Sandor got away from Pycelle. Now all she had to do was get a word in edgeways.

 

Joffrey wasn't making it easy, he just kept rankling on about this or that video game. 

 

When a break finally came Sansa just blurted out, “It’s over.” Without much thought. But once they were out something clicked in her. It's not that she wasn't scared, she was terrified of the mess that she knew would come out of this but she had committed. This was happening now, no more delay.

 

“Yeah, only one more day till the weekend,” Joffrey said stretching out on his seat. “I was thinking we could go to the movies-”

 

“I meant us.” Sansa continued, not allowing her strength to waver.

 

Joffrey stopped and looked at her, really looked. His brow furrowing. She let him look, no longer trying to muster a front she just left her face tell the truth. 

 

“You're breaking up with me?” His voice rising. “You don't get to break up with me. I’m breaking up with you.” He was basically shouting. A few strangling classmates watched on.

 

“Good so we are agreed.” She spoke with indifference. ‘Let him have his little tantrum what can he do about it.’

 

“Goodbye Joffrey.” She said spinning around and making for the gates of the school. There wasn't anything else to say, she felt no need to add in the customary reasons ‘it’s me not you, we can still be friends, you’ll find someone better.’ There was no need. Why prolong it?

 

“You’ll regret this you stupid bitch.*” Joffrey yelled after her, he spewed a whole bunch more profanity but Sansa refused to listen. She kept her chin up and kept walking.

 

“It’s over.” She kept repeating, her breathing was deep but she kept it steady.

 

It hadn't been as bad as she thought it was going to be. In fact, it was over quite quickly. But the real fight would be tomorrow when he started up on the gossip. Somehow she didn't find it in herself to worry about that. Her mind seemed numb now. As if she had exerted all her mental energy.

 

“Hey, Sansa!” She heard a yell come from behind her as she crossed the bounds of the school. Turing, she saw Jon leaned up against the wall.

 

“Jon!” Sansa beamed. This was a pleasant surprise. “What are you doing?” She skipped over to him.

 

“I missed the bus so I’m killing time till the local one. You?” He was hunched over as if embarrassed. Jon wasn't exactly a social butterfly.

 

“Ummm… well, I just broke up with Joff.” She tried to order her mind. She didn't really have a plan. She had just started walking trying to leave the situation she didn't think far enough ahead to have a destination.

 

“How did that go?” Jon asked. He seemed genuinely concerned. Sansa’s heart swelled. The more time she spent with Jon the more he grew on her.

 

“Better than I expected.” She admitted. “Once the words were out it was as a switch flicked in my head.”

 

Joe nodded as if he knew.

 

‘He probably does. Maybe the same thing happened within Ygritte.’

 

“What are you going to do now?” He asked. Both his grey eyes were on display and with their full effect on her. Sansa noticed for the first time how very handsome Jon was. Normally he was all hair, she made a mental note to tell him to try pushing his hair back at the next appropriate moment.

 

“I don't really have a plan,” she admitted. “Just go home I guess.”

“Are you going to walk?” Jon indicated to The Hill (named so because of its prestigious height and steep incline). It was a daunting first stage to walking home but the rest of the way was easy goings with dairies along the way to get treats. Your reward for making it up the hill.

“Ummmm,” Sansa shuffled on her feet. She wasn't in the mood for getting sweaty. But then a thought came to her, Joffrey would be catching the bus to the mall… “Yeah.” She decided and then a thought came to her. “Join me, we’ll get milkshakes.”

Jon’s whole visible face lit up with a giant smile.


	5. Chapter 5

Ever since Sansa knocked on his door in the middle of the night Jon felt like he was falling down a rabbit hole. Today he finally hit wonderland.

He and Sansa took their time strolling up the massive hill that initiated their walk home. Even at their leisurely pace, they were out of breath when they got to the top. So they chose to rest on playground swings for a moment.

They chatted about nothing and everything. Teachers they liked and hated. How they felt about upcoming exams. What their favourite seasons were. Both preferring winter, though Sansa stayed this was relatively new for her. She had liked summer for most of her life only recently had she begun to resent the sweat sticking her shirt to her back and the burn of the sun.

“Now I would much rather curl up in bed with a onesie.” She sighed lightly. “Oh, and one of the puppies if you could spare one.”

“I’m sure one I can spare. But it’s on lone.” Jon joked back.

“I’ll find a way to repay you.” Sansa smiled. Jon’s mind went foggy. Her lips now his only thought.

“You ready to head on?” Sansa asked. Jon could only nod as a reply.

They only had a hundred meters or so to walk before they got to the shop that sold the best milkshakes in town. Sansa took her time perusing all the flavours.

John was a simple man, chocolate or vanilla was all he would consider. Sansa chose peanut butter.

The drinks condescend in their hands as they slowly rambled their way home.

Jon’s mind started to wonder if this was what it would be like to date her. Something he knew he shouldn’t be thinking. Something he knew would only hurt him. But he kept thinking anyway. Because here, alone with her in their perfect oasis, he could pretend so easily.

“Is that Robb?” Sansa’s voice cut through his mind. He turned to look where her eyes lead.

Next to them was a park in the middle of a field sat two figures on their jumpers. The one with his back to them did look a lot like Robb.

“He’s having a date with Walda.” Sansa cooed. Jon looked to her, her eyes were wistful. Before he could over analyse that she proposed. “Let’s go interrupt them.”

She started to match her way over and Jon followed suit. He didn’t want to chat with Robb, he wanted to stay in this perfect snow globe land they had been residing in. But Sansa was already ahead of him.

She suddenly jerked to a stop. And then much to Jon’s surprise shoved him into a bush.

“Hey, what the?” She quickly joined him. Poking her head out to see.

“That’s not Walda.” She mumbled. Jon’s mind speed to catch up. There was a twig in his back that was taking up most of his mental effort.

“Maybe their study partners…” Jon suggested, he slipped his hand behind him and searched for the offending branch.

“Their holding hands.”

Jon froze. Sansa glanced back at him, her eyes were now scared. He didn’t need to analyse anything to know why.

“Maybe he and Walda broke up?” Jon suggested.

Sansa fidgeted. Then poked her head back around.

“May I?” Jon asked.

“I’m not moving just huddle around,” Sansa whispered, not looking back.

Jon tried to get himself to a position to look around the hedge subtly without but there was no way, other than walking out into the street.

“Oh just-” Sansa sighed and pulled him close.

“Can you see now?”

Jon nodded. He could very well see most of the park before them but that not what his mind was focused on. The smell of her perfume prickled his nostrils. His hand was on her shoulder somehow. He didn’t remember putting it there. Sansa was pressed against his chest. Her legs entwined with his pressing her against him in a way that distracted the brain.

Her hand flung back and tapped his side.

“Oh, my god.” She whispered, and Jon focused into what he should be paying attention to.

Robb was leaning in, his hand on the unknown girl’s cheek. And then his lips were on hers.

Sansa spun around. Her hands found his chest to steady her, his arm acted on its own accord and wrapped itself around her waist.

“That just happened.” She breathed, not taking a step back not moving an inch away from him. Her mind it seems wasn’t as easily distracted by his presence. He should have already have known that.

“What do we do?” Sansa asked. Her eyes big and blue looked up at Jon.

“What…” his mouth was dry and his mind was only full of the sound of his heartbeat.

“We should go home.” Sansa sighed. “We can talk about where we should do there. If Robb were to see us here…” her body slouched and stole a peek from around the corner.

“They're still at it,” She squirmed Jon watched in silence. His mind now filled with ‘If Robb were to see them there’ seniors.

Jon couldn’t imagine. He and Jon were close, but that might work against him. Sansa was his sister. Still, Jon liked to think that he was a step up from Joffrey… Maybe Robb would be happy about that.

“Well, he’s facing away.” Sansa broke his train of thought. “I reckon we just get out and walk, fast. Don’t turn back.”

Jon nodded. He didn’t want to move. But he couldn’t think of a good reason to stay.

“Okay,” Sansa mumbled hesitantly. Jon only had a second to ponder if she didn’t want to move for other reasons then being caught before she stepped away.

He had to follow suit.

They power walked out of sight of the park and didn’t stop when they were. They didn’t talk, all the way home.

Sansa was in her own world staring at the ground as she walked.

Jon felt very much like an unwanted company. And that didn’t stop when they reached home.

Caitlyn was there, in the kitchen so she was unavoidable when they walked in.

Sansa chatted to her about school, her voice a little squeaker than normal.

Jon took the hint and left them to talk. Making his way up to his room alone.

At least when he got there the puppies were happy to see him. They wagged their tails so hard they looked like they might break off.

Jon let them out of the box and run free around his room. Putting on some rock music to cover their yelps.

He sunk to the floor, the white pup in hand. He was still too weak to run around with the other pups but he was doing much better. Jon clutched the scrap of fabric Sansa had given him in one hand. And wondered if she would visit him tonight.


	6. Chapter 6

Her mother wanted to talk about everything under the sun. Sansa had to pretend that she was behind on homework to get away.

Her mind could only focus on one thing and she couldn’t talk to her mum about that.

“Are you alright?” Her mum asked as she made for the stairs.

“Yeah, just lots of school work.” Sansa knew she was a terrible liar but she hoped her mum wouldn’t look too deep into this.

“The last few days you have seemed off.” Sansa snugged. Her mother looked like she wanted to say something more but just nodded dismissing her, still not quite convinced. Sansa didn’t have the effort to try lie anymore.

She made her way upstairs and into her room. The temptation to curl up in her bed and sleep was strong, the day had become quite emotionally taxing, but she had work to do. So she snuck next door and began their secret knock.

Before Jon could answer her and too late for her to make a retreat she was caught.

She hadn't heard the footsteps on the stairs. But there was Robb. He looked at her, his eyes struggling to comprehend. She didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t exactly scandalous for her and Jon to be talking, and it didn’t need to be a secret… it just felt like Robb had walked in on an intimate moment.

Maybe it was just because of what she knew. What she had seen. She felt like she was being caught because she had been spying on him. Now he was the one catching her sneaking off to conspire.

“Come in,” Jon’s voice called, he sounded off. Sansa relished her and Robb had been standing staring at each other for too long of a time. Jon was probably panicking across the door thinking it was her dad or mum. Sansa hadn’t finished the secret knock.

“Put on headphone…” Sansa stammered out. It was all she could think. “I can hear you through the wall.” She squeezes and then rushed back to her room, acutely aware of Robb watching her from the stairs.

“Ummm, okay?” Jon’s voice called after her.

After she got the door closed she banged her head against it. Her performance was utterly unconvincing. She knew it. But the knot inside her stomach didn’t allow her to lie any better.

Why did she have a knot inside her stomach? Why did Robb's gaze cut into her so deeply? He was the one going around kissing people he shouldn’t! It wasn’t her fault at all! None of it was. She wasn’t the one being unfaithful, she would never had cheated on Joffrey and that was Joffrey! She highly doubted that he would show her the same respect. Walda was lovely, a bit plain and bland in Sansa’s opinion but she wasn’t her girlfriend. Robb should really pull himself together this wasn’t just affecting him. 

Okay sure, he hadn’t meant to rope Sansa and Jon into this situation. He probably thought the situation would resolve itself sooner or later. But now they were in it together and Sansa didn’t like loose strings.

She collapsed onto her bed, exhausted. Her mind still racing. She didn’t want to risk getting caught sneaking to Jon’s room again but they needed to talk. Her mind couldn’t rest until they did.

So she poked her head out of her bedroom, checking to see if the coast was clear, then darting quickly into Jon’s room without knocking.

The first thing she noticed when she walked in was Jon’s eyes quickly darting to her, then his chest. His shirt was in his hand, he looked to be cleaning it.

“Oh, my gosh.” She mumbled, quickly turning her back. Her cheeks boiled red. “Sorry, I didn’t want to get seen in the hall… Robb was on the stairs last time…” She babbled not sure what to do with herself.

Should she leave? This was his room, maybe he wanted privacy? She wished she could just die on the spot. Jon has looked so startled when she walked in. She really should have knocked. She just didn’t expect for him to be, well…

“It’s fine,” Jon mumbled. “A puppy made a mess…”

Sansa turned back around slowly. Jon was still shirtless but didn’t seem to mind, he wandered around the room as if it was normal. Sansa stayed frozen in her corner. She shouldn’t be so scandalized by this, boys walked around all the time with their shirts off. She had been to plenty of pool parties with Joffrey. Jon might have even come to one or two with Robb. But standing here in his room unchaperoned it felt intimate.

“What did Robb say?”

Sansa blinked a few times.

“Robb?” Her mind had turned to fog.

“You said he stopped you on the stairwell.” Jon looked at her, both of his eyes were on her and her mind just blanked. 

“He didn’t say anything,” she managed to piece together. “He just looked really surprised that I was knocking on your door, so I just made up the first reason I could think.”

It was the original reason she had knocked on his door, which is probably why it popped into her head.

“Oh,” Jon said, dropping his gaze.

Sansa twitched on her feet. Somehow she felt like she had just said the wrong thing.

The two hovered. Sansa could hear the beating of her heart in her ears. Jon seemed to be just as uncomfortable as she was, his chest ebbed with every breath. Sansa didn’t realize that Jon was, well… ripped. She had never thought about it before. But of course he would be, he was on the rugby team and he and Robb had taken up a combat training thing, or something. He was very active… it showed.

“The puppies are under the bed…” He said after a moment.

Sansa swallowed hard and forced herself to take a step forward. A step that took her within arms reach of Jon, who watched her, his eyes storm-cloud dark.

Why was this so awkward? Surely they had bumped into each other coming out of the bathroom or something. He lived here in the room next door and she had spent many evenings chilling here with him over the last week.

She forced herself to take her eyes back off him and pull the puppy box out of the bed. The puppy’s all danced around in excitement.

Behind her she heard Jon moving about, his closet door opening. She tried to keep her mind on the puppies but somehow her mind was a fog.

“So,” Jon’s voice cut through. “What do we do about Robb?” He said as he flopped down onto the bed.

He had put a new shirt on, a moss green that she hadn't seen him wear before, he looks rather fetching in it.

“We have to talk to him.” Sansa forced her mind back onto the task at hand, her mind seemed to want to procrastinate the discussion by constantly getting distracted. “We should sit him down for a talk. Maybe he can explain.”

“Yeah, best thing to do…” Sansa was very aware of Jon’s eyes on her as she played with the puppies. She tried her best not to look up but failed. He cleared his throat. “We need to make sure that he doesn't think we are there to lecture him or tell him off. You know how Robb can get sometimes.”

Sansa did, she loved Robb very much but he could get very high handed sometimes. Especially when his dignity was on the line.

“We need something to keep him calm and happy.” Sansa mused as she watched a puppy chase its tail.

“Bake him some cookies?” Jon joked. “Everyone loves your cookies. Sansa’s cheeks blushed with the compliment, though she couldn’t think why, so many other people had told her as much before, but none had had this effect on her.

The puppy managed to catch his tail but couldn’t sustain his balance and flopped over.

“I might have an idea.” Sansa mused, she locked eyes with Jon who tilted his head to the side like a puppy dog.


End file.
